Firearm.



c. F. LEFEVER.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1910.

Patented May 16, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

, INVENTOR.

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G. I. LBFEVER.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1910.

Patentbd May 16, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

|NVE9NpTOR WITNESSES:

"H1 HI G. P. LEPEVER.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1910.

Patented May 16, 1911.

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CHARLES F. LEFEVER, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELIAS S. TRITES, OF TOLEDO, OI-IIO.

FIREARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application filed August 5, 1910. Serial No. 575,824.

T 0 all whom a"! may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. LEFEVER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Firearm; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked there on, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to fire-arms of the repeating type, and particularly to maga zine or repeating shot-guns, but is not restricted to such use as it may be used in any connection for which it may be adapted or appropriate.

The object of my invention is the provision, in a gun of this class, of simple, improved and highly eflicient mechanism, which is operative, upon a movement of the shell transferring mechanism, to automatically lock the hammer against a premature firing movement, and to release the hammer when the operative parts have returned to firing position.

A further object of my invention is the provision of simple, improved and efiicient means for forcefully ejecting a shell from the frame chamber when retracted to ejecting position.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for controlling the discharging movements of the shells from the magazine whereby only one shell is permitted to leave the magazine and enter the frame chamber at a reloading operation.

Further objects of my invention consist in the provision of means in the breechblock to permit of an adjustment of such block to compensate for wear of the parts and maintain the firing-pin in line with the center of a shell cap when in the barrel, and also the provision of means for compensating for wear in the magazine holding means whereby to prevent relative endwise movements of the barrel and magazine.

Further objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of the gun frame and portions of the barrel and shell magazine, with the operative parts in normal firing position, and a portion removed. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts retracted in shell ejecting posit-ion. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the safe-bar. Fig. 1 is a view of the right side of the gun-frame, with portions broken away and the operative parts in retracted or shell ejecting position. Fig. P is a perspective view of the positive safe-slide and trigger pin. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of different parts of the operating mechanism in assembled relation. Fig. 6 is a view of the right side of the frame with the operative parts in firing position. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7, 7 in Fig. 4 with a shell just being released from the inner or left retainer finger. Fig. 8 is a similar view of a part thereof with a shell partly thrown from the frame opening. Fig. 8 is a cross-section on the line 8 8 in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 is an outer side View of the sliding side plate and cooperating moving parts. Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the ejector slide and associated parts with a portion broken away. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the ejector lever. Fig. 12 is a side view of the forward end portions of the barrel, magazine and hand hold, with portions in section. Fig. 13 is an outer end view of the barrel, magazine, handhold and retainer lug. Fig. 14 is an enlarged side view of the portion of the gun adjacent the inner ends of the barrel and magazine with parts broken away. Figs. 15 and 16 are cross-sections on the lines 15, 15 and 16, 16, respectively, with the shell stop in Fig. 16 rocked from normal position. Fig. 17 is a plan of the shell stop, and Fig. 18 is a side elevation of a portion of the left side of the gun with a part broken away and the parts shown in the position which they assume when the hammer cocking rod is at the limit of its rearward movement.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the gun frame to which the stock (not shown) is secured, 2 the barrel which is threaded or with a shell cap.

otherwise suitably secured to the forward end of the frame, 3 the shell magazine carried by the barrel beneath the same, and 4 the handhold, which is mounted for sliding movements on the magazine tube.

The frame 1 is of the usual construction, being hollow, to form the chamber 1 and provided in one side wall thereof with the elongated longitudinally extending opening 5 through which the shells are ejected after firing, and having its bottom open for the breech-block 6 which is pivoted at 7, to work through when lowered. The forward end of the breech-block 6 is tapered on its upper edge, as shown at 6 to serve to direct a shell upwardly within the frame chamber 1 when forced into such chamber from the magazine. In the lower rear portion of the frame 1 are located the usual hammer 8 and trigger 9, the former being cooked by an oscillation of the cooking arm 10 in the usual manner.

Projecting rearwardly from the sliding hand-hold 4 at opposite sides thereof are the right and left side-bars 11 and 12, respectively, which pass through the forward end of the frame 1 and work in longitudinal grooves or races 13 and 14, respectively, in the inner sides of the frame side walls, as best shown in Figs. 8 and 16. The bar 11 is provided adjacent its nose on its inner side with a stud 15 which works in a cam groove or race 16 in the adjacent side of the breech-block 6 to impart oscillatory movements to such block in the usual manner when said bar is reciprocated. When the side bar 11 is at the limit of its forward movement, the stud 15 coacts with a neutral port-ion 16 of the groove wall to hold the breech-block elevated in firing position. The side-bar 12 has a stud 12 on its inner side, which upon a rearward movement thereof coacts with the cooking arm 10 to cock the hammer.

In practice it is found that the wear of the stud 15 and coacting wall of the breech block race permits a dropping of the forward end of such block and a consequent moving of the firing pin (not shown), which is 'carried by the breech-block, out of center To obviate this the nose of the breech-block is longitudinally split or slotted above the portion 16 as shown at 17 Fig. 4, and a set-screw 18 is threaded through the lower furcation thus provided and bears at its inner end against the inner side of the other furcation, to serve to effect a separation of such parts. As the lower furcation rests upon the stud 15 the separation of it from its companion effects a necessary raising of the upper furcation to center the firing pin with the shell cap, as is apparent.

The nose of the side-bar 11 is preferably rounded on its upper edge and a short distance in front of its nose is provided on its upper edge with a rounded notch or depression 19. A rocker 20 is pivoted to the sideplate 21, which plate is slidingly mounted in the frame opening 5 to uncover and close such opening, and such rocker is formed on the under side of its forward end portion with a rounded detent or boss 22 for seating in the notch 19 of the side-bar 11, and has its opposite end or tail curving around the nose of such bar when engaged therewith and terminating adjacent the lower edge thereof as shown in Fig. 4. The shoulder or lower wall 23 (Fig. 1) of the race 13 in which the side bar 11 operates is cut away adjacent its forward end as at 24 to permit the tail of the rocker 20 to drop therein whereby to co-act with the end of the shoulder 23 to prevent a rearward or opening movement of the rocker 20 and its side-plate 21 except when said rocker is oscillated to permit it to pass over said shoulder. A compression spring 25 acts on the forward end of the rocker 20 to influence the engagement of its detent 22 with the side-bar notch 19. When the parts are in normal or firing position the nose of the side-bar 11 engages under the forward end of the rocker .20 to retain its tail in looking engagement with the end of the shoulder 23 whereby to prevent an opening or rearward sliding movement of the side-plate 21. Upon a rearward movement of the side-bar 11 its rounded nose coacts with the alining rounded under side of the rocker tail approximately at the time the notch 19 moves into register with the detent 22 of the rocker 20, thus effecting an oscillation of the rocker to move its tail from looking engagement with the shoulder 28 and to move the detent- 22 thereof into the notch 19. The continued rearward movement of the side-bar 11 causes the sideplate 21 to move rearwardly therewith due to the interlocking of the side-bar 11 and rocker 20, such rocker being prevented from having a bar releasing movement by reason of its tail riding upon the shoulder or lower wall 23 of the sidebar race. When the sideplate 21 has returned to its normal closed position upon the forward movements of the side-bar 11, the rocker 20 disengages the side-bar due to its tail being permitted to work down into the recess 24 provided at the forward end of the shoulder 28, the rocker being held in such rocking position by the coaction of the nose of the side-bar 11 with the rocker lug 22.

The side-plate 21 is provided at its forward end with a head or block 26 which fits within the upper portion of the frame chamber and is provided at the side thereof opposed to the plate 21 with a shell extracting finger 27, and at the side thereof adjacent the plate 21 with a pivoted shell extracting finger 28. The fixed finger 27 is notched its engaginginovenlent infiuencedh V fen pompression "spring 30. v The fin r-2 f ivorks a'inatheracef3l in the associated. Iside" 'Well' Of-f the' aframe Monntedifor" limited or reeiplrocato i-y movementslinfar race 321 pI'O-L f ,g-videdfingthe frame'adj'acent;therear end of- I theektraetiomfingerraee 31 is a shell ejector slide 33 which is yieldingly held 211; its limit f; forward movelnent' bly the action thereonof'fl'a f jcoiledgeompressionw springii 34:, such 7 l'spring i being -m0unted within ia gsoeket in 1 said slide and havingone end thrustagainst. 5 ifpljinger 35 "within the slide :socketfland its 1 'other endgthrust againstthewall at the rear f l endfof jthe rrace32ri :ej ector-le'ver or fin "2 geri36' isiapiiiotally carried et the forward i; p end of'the slide33 andahasits nose lnorinalb' 7' projecting inwardly Within the fra e chamg retain position topabut at its end against" the;

i rear'endfofagfshell'29 at the edge thereof op i 2 5 posed" to? the "pivoted, ext-motor finger-Q 28. 1

' l' f The lingerg36 is provided with. aisheft 37 i, g f whieh. is jonrneled initheslide 33' end has G "its? ifear side" flattened lies at 38 {to receive! the g'forwerd" "end thrust enis plnnger-::;" whereby 'said'ipliingerythe} spring 34 and the]v A ffi ittened :portion of the sheftlcooperate to the rear end. of "the safe-bet 14:151'3HdiWhIl} 7 cocked the-pin 48- is lowered from engage-1:} y p oyieldingl-y retain :;the (36 in; shell eli-v ,jgagingi position. Upon a retracting of the as the-flang d Whichis foppositely'engaged by.

1 l offith'e; shellrinoves into engagement "with the} I o aliiiing-yend off. the ej ectori finger 36,- thus, eeusing said finger aand'l-itsslideg33 to move I 4 s'jreerwardly with fthiegrslide-plate 21" against F '7 f ithe'tension .oflthe spring 34?;until stopped by i coaetiongwiththeAreanjendof its race 32:

w Theside plate 2 l'1has'a 'suflieient movement twine-"rea of itheqpoint of ls'toppingfof the 5 :ejeetorasliide 33 to cause the finger 361:0 foreeithesedjacent edgeaof the shell flange from engagement r with the extra'ctorfinger r 27 Upon suc release of'the-shell flange i {f -Q 11 th "extreetomfingenZLltheslide 33'and' i itsffinger 36 --move swiftly ,forwardvunder the influence. of thei sprin w-3t ti'nd house the "shell;

' throii g h "the 4 opening? 5' the s side wall as indicated Figs; 7 fend" 8, the "pivotal extractor-finger 28T:continningoinengage-j 'ment withlthe :shell flange While ,the, ej ectorthris fepparents that; ;I have {provided 5 fa:ssirnpleendieflicient Ineehenism for forties- 5;;

' laterally offset froin} the anrn aiiand proje ,the'freegend of the finger b' of the sate-rocker.

roeking of said" safeeroeker when the safe;

fjecting"inwandlyjfrom the frame side to the V ;sliderplate 21, as above described ie shell 29;

lower its forward end fromathe side-bar loek resting upon the tail-pieee45; of the safe-liar movement; {being-occasioned by reason of the finger. 36 "is (throwing; the shell outwardly.

fully-ejectingthe 'shell, i retracted intolateral registerwithl the open-u ,ReferringitoF-igs. 4,: 5 6, i V inates a, safe-rocker which is of L-shepe; and

has itsfverticelr arm a pivoted intermedie'te; "its {ends} as at 40 and: its horizontal :arxn' b i ing' forwardly therefrom;-- 'as; indicated.

Mounted withinthe framezlbeneath therafC eg' I l3 forthe 'sideibar llis iwh atlmay be termed' aisafe-bar 4L1, whieh isv pivotedto theiramefi- I 7 all; as at 42'Vand-hesitstorivard endfipro i r vided With -the upstandingiglug e3 endiziitts f reara end provided with the cross-pieceV. AQ'58f) from the upper edge ofwhich project's tail-pieee 45.=1 Thisi-tail-piece projects over;

bar 41 is osoilleted to; lowersits tail'piece45;;

Asprin'g 46, which maybe termed the safebar: spring, bearsagainst a shoulder 46?; '0 f the frame 1; then coils about :a pin 4:75' p1Qe rear of'stheheninler with its other; end ex i tended forwardly over a pin; 48 proj ecting g from the hemrneriside andprojectedhiv-ithini- V a inotehi or recess in the cross piece sofflithey: s safebar 41. When the hammer is uncooked the ,pin 48 sets on; the spring 46 lto elevate;

ment with the springI462to-1permit the rear:v end" ofithe safe-bar 41: to --lowernnder the 43' in the path of movment .o f-fthe noseofthe' side-her 11 to locksuch; side bar sandfits 1 T attaohed perts against :rearward movement until the forward end of the safeba'nhesa, been again lowered' upon a firing of p theoruncoeking novernentiof thehammerliAo V V trip-lug 44 jprojeets Without the frameil fromrthe cross-piece44 of the safe barl to- V I'permits'uch bar 'to lieimoved-qby handftofj 1 41. 'This spring normallyinfluences Jtlie i engagement of the safe rocker '39"With.thej. l V

trigger-9 to locksuch trigger against a hem Iner releasing movement, asshow'n in i Fig. It is thus apparent ithatswh'enthe I hammer rearwardmovement oftheihand hold r the f side-bar l2-movesreerwiirdly to coast with ng; the eocking ermlO tocock the hammer; and p r influenceof the spring 46; when the nose jof f r the side-bar ll hasmoved forwardtrombone tact with the upperend ofqthe lug 43 overi' which it passesv The'eIe ating of the for:

Ward endvof the usafeber l raises, its liig9i05 1 i V i25- is in 'uneockedposition, the forward endlofil V V thesafebar, 41-is lowered and thatfnponaoj" I the side-bar 11 moves rearwardly to throw the breech-block 6 to open position and to slide the side-plate 21 to uncover the shell ejecting opening 5, as shown in Fig. 4. Upon the cocking movement of the hammer the pin 4E8 thereon lowers from supporting engagement with the spring 46 and permits such spring to act on the safe-bar 11 to lower its rear end when the side-bar 11 is moved forwardly from above the lug 43 of the safe bar. As the rear end of the safe-bar %1 lowers, the tail piece e5 thereof lowers into contact with the free end of the arm Z) of the safe-rocker 39 to effect a movement of such rocker from locking engagement with the trigger 9.

51 designates a thumb or finger slide which is mounted on the under side of the frame 1 at one side of the trigger 9, and is provided at the rear of the lower end of the arm (IV of the safe rocker 39 with a spur 52, which may be moved upon a forward movement of the slide 31 into contact with the lower end of the arm a of the safe-rocker 39 to hold it in trigger locking position. The slide 51 has a slotted part 53 which works over the trigger pin 5% to slidingly hold t-he slide 51 to the frame and is provided with a spring 51" which serves to resist a free movement of the slide.

The magazine 3 contains a coiled compression spring 55 which acts upon the shells therein to successively force the same outwardly into the frame chamber when the breech-block 6 is lowered for such purpose. In order to prevent more than one shell from entering the frame chamber at each loading operation, I provide a shell stop 56 at the lower forward portion of the frame 1 at the point of opening of the magazine chamber into the frame chamber. This shell stop is centrally pivoted as at 57 at the lower edge of the magazine mouth to adapt it to have a rocking movement and has its upper or inner edge provided at the side of its fulcrum with a stop shoulder 58 and at the other side of its fulcrum with stop shoulder 59. These shoulders are of segmental form and disposed in parallel planes butspaced from each other transversely of the stop 56, as indicated, whereby to permit the flange of the shell to first engage one stop shoulder on its rearward movement from the magazine, and when the stop 56 is rocked to then release such shoulder from the shell and move the other shoulder into shell stopping position. The stop member 56 is normally held in position for its outer stop shoulder 59 to stand in the path of movement of a shell due to the action of a compression spring 60 thereon, which spring is mounted in one side of the frame 1, as shown in Figs. 15 and 16. A plunger 61 is mounted in the side of the frame 1 opposite the spring 60 and has its lower end working against an end of the stop member 56 and its upper end disposed in position for the slide bar 12 to work over and act thereon to effect a lowering of such plunger when the cam surface 62 of such bar passes over the same. It is thus apparent that when the hand-hold t is moved rearwardly to actuate the shell charging parts, the side-bar 12 works over the plunger 61 to effect a lowering of such plunger whereby to rock the stop member 56 against the tension of its spring 60 to lower the shoulder 59 from the path of movement of the shell flange and raise the shoulder 58 to stop the outward movement of the next shell until the side-bar 12 has returned to its normal forward position.

The forward end of the magazine 3 coacts with a retainer lug 63 carried by the barrel 2 to cooperate with a socket in the forward end of the frame 1 to secure the magazine in operative position as is customary in firearms of this class. A retainer lever 641 is mounted in the forward end of the magazine 3 and is adapted to have its rear end depressed within the magazine against the tension of the holding spring to permit the forward end of the handhold 1 to move over such end of the lever 6st and to interlock therewith due to the lug 66 on the lever working into a notch 67 in the handheld when it is desired to hold the handheld against movement on the magazine. hen the lever 64 is in normal position its outer or forward end abuts against the retainer lug 63 to hold the barrel and magazine in assembled position. It is found in practice that the magazine frequently becomes loose within the retainer parts so as to permit it to have a slight play longitudinally of the barrel. To prevent this. I thread an adjusting screw 68 through the retainer lug 63 in position for its inner end to bear in the present instance against the forward end of the lever or whereby to tend to force the rear end of the magazine to its seat in the frame 1. Should a slight play occur in the .magazine, the screw 68 may be turned to compensate for such play, as is apparent.

The operation of my improved gun is as follows :-After a firing of the gun the operator slides the hand'hold 4t rearwardly' tracted. the extractor fingers 27, and 28 carried thereby withdraw the fired shell from the barrel into lateral register with the frame opening 5. When the side-plate 21 is near the limit of its rearward movement, the rear end of the shell moves into contact with the alining end of the ejectorfinger 36, thus causing said finger and its carrying slide 33 to move rearwardly with the side plate against the tension of the spring 3t until stopped by striking the rear end of its race 32. After the stopping of the ejector-slide 33, the side plate 21 has a suflicient rearward movement to cause the finger 36 to force the adjacent edge of the shell flange from engagement with the extractor finger 27. Upon such release of the shell flange, the slide 33 and its finger 36 move swiftly forward under the influence of the spring 3% and cause the shell to have a lateral circular ejecting movement from the frame chamber through the opening 5 in its side wall, as indicated in Figs. 7 and 8, due to the extractor-finger 28 continuing in. engagement with the shell flange during the ejecting action of the ejector-finger 36 thereon. Upon the rearward movement of the side-bar 12 it acts on the plunger 61 to oscillate the shell stop 56 to release the outer shoulder 59 from an engaged shell to permit such shell to move into the frame chamber when the breech-block 6 has been lowered sufficiently for such purpose. This movement of the shell stop 56 also forces the stop shoulder 58 upwardly into the path of movement of the succeeding shell, thus preventing more than one shell from entering the frame chamber during a reloading operation. If it be desired to quickly remove the shells from the magazine, the shell-stop can be rocked by hand for such purpose. The continued rearward movement of the sidebar 12 causes the stud 12 thereon to act on the cocking arm 10 to cock the hammer 8. lVhen the hammer is cocked, the trigger 9 lowers from the uncooked position, shown in Fig. 6, so as to permit the safe-rocker 39 to move into locking engagement with such trigger, as shown in Fig. 1, due to the action of the spring 49 thereon which spring has its free end bearing on the tail piece 45 of the safe bar 41. The trigger 9 thus remains locked against a hammer releasing movement until the side bar 11 has moved to the limit of its forward movement where it passes from over the lug 43 to the safe bar 41. As the safe bar 41 is thus freed to oscillate, the spring 16 acts to lower the rear end thereof and to effect a consequent coaction of the tail-piece 45 with the end of the arm 6 of the safe-rocker 39 to move such safe-rocker from looking engagement with the trigger. It is thus apparent that the hammer when cocked is locked against a firing movement until the breech-block and other operative parts have returned to firing position, whereby to prevent a premature firing. If it is desired to positively lock the gun against being fired when the parts are in firing position, the positive safeslide 51 may be moved so that its lug 52 engages and prevents a tripping of the trigger.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction or arrangement of the parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent, is

1. In a firearm of the class described, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, a member for coacting with the trigger to prevent a pulling thereof, an oscillatory element having a part adapted to coact with said member to move it from trigger locking position when said element is oscillated in one direction, means yieldingly acting on said member to move it into trigger locking position, means yieldingly acting on said element to move it to release the trigger looking member when the hammer is cooked, and means coacting with said element to prevent a movement thereof to release the trigger locking member until such latter means has moved to a predetermined position.

2. In a firearm of the class described, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, a saferocker for locking the trigger against a hammer releasing movement, an oscillatory safe-bar having a part for coacting with the safe-rocker to move it from trigger locking position when the safe-bar is oscillated in one direction, means yieldingly acting on the safe-rocker to influence it to engage the trigger, means acting on the safe-bar to influence its saferocker releasing movement, a bar movable over the safe-bar in contact with a part thereof and adapted to prevent a trigger releasing movement of said safebar until said bar has reached a predetermined point in its permissible movement, and means carried by the hammer for effecting a movement of the safe-bar when the hammer is in uncooked position.

3. In a firearm of the class described, a hammer having a lug projecting from the side thereof, a trigger, a safe-rocker for looking the trigger against a hammer releasing movement, an oscillatory member in advance ofthe hammer and having a part at its rear end for coacting with the safe rocker to release it from the trigger when said member is oscillated in one direction, means for influencing a movement of said member to move the safe-rocker to release the trigger and cooperating with said hammer lug to effect a movement of said member in the opposite direction when the hammer has a firing movement, and mechamsm operatlve to cook the hammer and to prevent a movement of said member to release the saferocker from the trigger until such mechanism has reached a predetermined point in its movement.

4. In a firearm of the class described, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, an L- shaped safe-rocker for locking the trigger against a hammer releasing movement, means influencing a trigger engaging movement of said safe-rocker, an oscillatory member disposed in advance of the hammer and having an upstanding spur at its forward end and a tail piece at its rear end for coacting wit-h the safe-rocker to release it from engagement with the trigger when said member is oscillated in one direction, a spring acting on said member to influence its movement to release the safe rocker from the trigger and cooperating with a part of the hammer to effect an opposite movement of the member when the hammer is uncooked, and means movable to cook the hammer and to coact with the spur on said member to prevent a movementof such member under the influence of its spring until said means has reached a predetermined point in its movement, said spur serving to lock said means against movement when in normal position and when the hammer is cooked.

5.111 a firearm of the class described, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, an oscillatory trigger locking member, an oscillatory safe-bar disposed in advance of the hammer and having a part projecting in position to be manually moved, means influencing the movement of said safe-bar to act on said member to move it from trigger engaging position, means influencing an engagement of said member with the trigger, and means operative to cook the hammer and having a part movable over said safe-bar to prevent it from moving to release said member from engagement with the trigger until said means has returned to its normal position, said safe bar serving to lock said latter means against movement when said means is in normal position and the hammer is cocked.

6. In a firearm of the class described, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, a member influenced to normally engage the trigger to prevent a hammer releasing movement thereof, hammer cocking means, a part movable with a portion of said means, and mechanism automatically operable by said part to move said member to release thetrigger when the hammer is cocked and said part is returned to its normal position.

7. In a firearm of the class described, a hammer, a trigger, a safe-rocker for locking said trigger against a hammer releasing movement, means influencing said saferocker to normally engage the trigger, means movable to effect a cocking of the hammer, a part movable with a portion of said cocking means, mechanism automatically operable by said part to release said safe-rocker from engagement with the trigger when the hammer is cocked and the said part has reached a predetermined point in its movement, and means movable to coact with the safe-rocker to prevent a trigger releasing movement thereof.

8. In a firearm of the class described, a hammer, a trigger, a safe-rocker influenced to normally engage the trigger to lock it against hammer releasing movement, means movable to effect a cocking of the hammer, mechanism automatically operable by said means to effect a movement of the saferocker to release the trigger when the hammer is cocked, said cocking means having a part movable therewith which acts on said mechanism to prevent a safe rocker releasing movement thereof until the cocking means has returned to firing position.

9. In a firearm of the class described, a hammer, a trigger, a safe-rocker influenced to normally engage the trigger to lock it against a hammer releasing movement, means operative to effect a cocking of the hammer, and mechanism automatically operative to move the safe rocker to release the trigger when the hammer is in cocked position, said mechanism having a part which coacts with a part of the cocking means to prevent a movement thereof when in normal position and the hammer is cooked, and having a part which projects without the firearm to permit such mechanism to be manually moved to permit a movement of the cocking means when the hammer is cooked.

10. In a firearm of the class described, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, a saferocker influenced to normally engage the trigger to prevent a hammer releasing movement thereof, means operable to effect a cocking of the hammer, mechanism automatically operative to release the safe-rocker from engagement with the trigger when the cooking means has returned to its normal position and to lock such cocking means against further movement until the firearm is discharged, and a member movable to positively lock the safe rocker against a trigger releasing movement 11. In a firearm of the class described, the combination of a hammer, a trigger, a member for coacting with the trigger to prevent a hammer releasing movement thereof,

means movable to effect a release or engagement of said member relative to the trigger, shell charging mechanism, and means attached to and movable with said mechanism to effect a cocking of the hammer and to act on said member controlling means to prevent disengagement of the member from the trigger during a cocking of the hammer and until said mechanism has returned to its normal position.

12. In a firearm of the class described, the combination of a frame, a handhold, apart projecting therefrom and having a notch in its rear end portion, a sideplate, and a rocker having a part for engaging in said notch and a tail-piece for locking with a portion of the frame to prevent movements of the side plate, said handhold part being normally in engagement with said rocker to retain its tail piece in locking engagement with the frame, and upon a rearward movement of the hand-hold adapted to release the rocker from frame locking position and to cooperate therewith to efiect a rearward sliding movement of the side-plate.

13. In a firearm of the class described, the combination of a frame having an opening in the side thereof, of a side plate movable to close and uncover such opening, shell ex tracting fingers carried by such plate one of said fingers being pivotally movable, a slide yieldingly mounted adjacent the point of rearward movement of the fixed extractor finger, means yieldingly holding the slide at its limit of forward movement, a shell ejecting finger pivotally carried by said slide, said slide being forced rearwardly by a shell coacting with said shell ejecting fin ger and when the side-plate is at a predetermined point in its rearward movement effecting a release of the shell from the fixed extractor finger and moving to eject the shell laterally through said opening.

14. In a firearm of the class described, a frame having an opening in a side thereof and a race in its opposite side, a slide member movable longitudinally of the frame to open and close said opening, shell extracting means carried by said member, a slide movable in said race, a spring yieldingly acting on the slide to retain it at the limit of its forward movement, a shell ejecting finger pivoted to said slide and influenced by said spring to normally stand in the path of movement of the shell, said slide and its finger being compressed against the tension of its spring by the extracting movement of the shell and stopping short of the limit of rearward movement of said slide memher to effect a disengagement of the shell flange from the adjacent extractor finger and then moving under the influence of its spring to eject the shell in a pivotal manner laterally from the frame opening, and means for moving said slide member.

15. In a firearm, a breech block having its nose forked, means for supporting the breech-block in firing position, and means for relatively moving the furcations of such end of the breech block to effect adjustment thereof to compensate for wear.

16. In a firearm, the combination of a breech-block having its nose slotted trans versely of the direction of shifting movements of the breech-block, means coacting with one of the furcations of such block to support the block in firing position, and means for relatively moving the two furcations to adjust the one in register with the shell to compensate for wear.

17 In a firearm of the class described, a frame having a magazine, a socket therein, a barrel carried by such frame, a magazine retaining lug projecting from the barrel, a shell-magazine held to the barrel by the cooperating action of the frame socket and said lug, a hand-hold slidingly mounted on the magazine, a lever carried by the magazine for yielding oscillatory movements and serving to limit the forward movements of the hand-hold on the magazine, said lever being movable to interlock with the hand-hold to prevent movements thereof on the magazine, and a screw threaded in said retainer lug and having its inner end bearing against the forward end of said lever and being adjustable to force the magazine home within the frame socket to compensate for wear.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. LEFE VER.

lVitnesses:

C. WV. OWEN, M. G. GASKELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

